Process of generating combustible gas



Nov. 21, 1933. Q Q WANNACK 1,935,925

PROCESS OF GNERATING COMBUSTIBLE GAS Filed NOV. 16, 1929 Patented Nov.21, 1933 l 4UNITED sTATEsPA-TENT OFFICE PROCESS F GENEATING COMBUSTIBLECarl Otto Wannack, Chicago. lll., assigno', by mesne assignments, to S.H. G. Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 16, 1929 y SerialvNo.l 407,608 t 6 Claims. (Cl. 48-219) Thisinvention relates to a process of generatthe blower is operating, airunder pressure ls ing combustible gas by intimately associating airdelivered through the pipe 6, check valve 18, and under pressure withcombustible fluid. line 16 t0 the air space above the fluid 11 in One ofthe features of my invention comprises the Compartment 9.

Separating the main bulk supply of combustible The Pipe 17 Iney beConnected to, and extend 60 fluid from the zone in which the generatedcomdownwardly intdcompartment 8. Interposed in bustible gas is confinedor stored, pending with- 'the line 17 is 8- oheek Valve 19 Which opensaway drawal for use. from the blower 2, and prevents the back ilow In apreferred embodiment, generation of the of ges from the Compartment 8 tothe liloWel l0 gas may take place in the ga:l store zone, but When themoto;` 4 is not in operation. The end 66. it is to be understood thatthe invention in its of the Pipe 17 Within the oompel'tment 3 me?broadest aspect contemplates the generation of be Provided With 8removable nozzle 17'. which combustible gas either in the'gas storagezone -Will be hereinafter more fully deserihedor in the combustibleliquid storage zone. A Pipe 22 may extend doWnWrdlY into the Com- Otherand further important objects of the pertinent 9, the end of Which mayhe open 8nd 70 present invention will be apparent from the acdisposedWithin, Say 2 to 6 inches. (more 01 less) eompanying drawing andfollowing detail defrcmthe bottom of scid compartment Sc as toscription. be submerged in the liquid. The pipe 22 virtually In thedrawing, Fig, 1 is a diagrammatic ele.. forms a U, the other end orwhich terminates 2o vationai view of an arrangement suitable for withinthe'ccmpartment 8. adjacent the end 0f 75 carrying out my invention. thecompressed air pipe 11. The end of pipe 22 Fig. 2 is a schematic diagramof the electric in compartment 8 may be bent, as shown at 23 currentcircuit and connections, in Fig. 1 so as to discharge huid at an angleto Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 indicates the air issuing fromnozzle 17'- In Order t0 30n- 25 an air intake pipe connected to a bloweror air trol the quantity and Velocity 0f the ud issuing 80 compressor 2.The pipe 1 may preferably open from the pipe 22 the latter may beprovided with to a point exterior of a building 3 The blower a.removable nozzle 22'. The arrangement is such 2 may be operated by amotor or the like 4, which that the point cf intersection cf the fluidand. may drive the blower through the agency of a air streams is spacedfrom the air discharge a belt or sprocket chain 5. The blower 2 may drawsumcient distance so that the (tooling effect DTO- 85 air through theintake pipe V1 and discharge said duced by the. rapid evaporation of thefluid Will air through a pipe 6. not freeze the moisture entrained inthe com A rank '1 may be buried in the ground exterior pressed air andfoul the air discharge. of the building s, and is preferamy divided mecAn automatic sclencidelly actuated valve, deS- two separate compartments8 and 9 by means gnated eS a Whole 24. may he interposed in the 90 of avertical partition 10. The compartment 9 Dine 22 exterior 0f bothcompartments, the a1'- may be utilized to conne a quantity ofcombusrangement being Such that, /When motor 4 is tible fluid 11 whichmay be charged through a functioned, the valve` 24 will besimultaneously filler pipe l2 which extends downwardly a relaenergizedthrough the electrical Connection 25.

40 tively short distance into the compartment 9. In this manner, WhileInotol 4 is operating all' 95 A screen 13 may be associated with thepipe 12 under pressure will be introduced into chamber serving as a nrepreventing means. The down- 9 through pipe 15, and n pressure Will beestab- Wardly extending filler pipe 12 serves to prevent lished in seidChamber above the Surface of the the compartment 9 from being completelylled fluid 11 Contained therein. foloing e Portion of with uid. In otherwords, an air space is always seid nula through Pipe 22 and Valve 24 anddiS- 100 provided above the surface of the fluid 11. charging the ndfrom orinoe 0I' no2-Zie 22' in A housing 14 may be connected to thecomchamber 8. At the same time air under pressure partment 9, adapted toreceive a liquid level iS also issuing from line 17 through the 811nozzle gauge (not shown) of any accepted design. 17', and is directedinto contact with the stream The compressed air passing through the pipeof nuid issuing from nozzle 22', thereby breaking 105 6 is diverted atthe T 15 through two lines 16 up the fluid into a nely divided vapor orlog and and 17 respectively. Interposed in the line 16 producinga'co'mbustible gas. is a check valve 18 which opens away from the A gasoutlet pipe 26 is connected into the chamcompressor. The other end ofthe line 16 may ber 8 and preferably extends downwardly there. Y

be connected into the compartment 9. When into to within a few inches ofthe bottom. A T 110 coupling 27 may be connected to the upper end ofpipe 28 into which a gas. discharge line 28 may be connected. The thirdend of the T 27 may' be closed by means of a removable plug or the like29'. By this arrangement, if unvaporized fluid, such as water,accumulates at the bottom of the compartment 8, it may be thdrawnwithout disconnecting the line 28, m rely by removing plug 29',inserting a pipe or the like (not shown) through pipe 26 and withdrawingthe water or unvaporized fluid through the auxiliary pipe.

The line 28 may lead to the building 3 or to any point of gasconsumption;l a conventional pressure reducing valve 29 may beinterposed in line 28 to reduce the pressure of the gas from chamber8-to a pressure at which gas may be conveniently and eillcientlyconsumed. A vent pipe 30 may communicate with valve 29 and may open at apoint exterior of the building 3. A flash-back arrester 31 maybeinterposed in line 28 preferably on the lowv pressure side of the valve29. g

l'nterposed in gas discharge line 28, preferably between the pressurereducing valve 29 and the 1'- 27, is a pressure-actuatedswitch 20. Thearrangement is such that, when, the pressure within the pipe 28, andhence the pressure in compartment 8, reaches a predetermined mini' mum,say for instance, one-half to one and onehalf pounds per square inch,more or less, the pressure-operated switch 20 will be actuated tosimultaneously energize the motor 4 and valve 24, thereby generating gasinthe compartment vil. When the generation of gas has proceeded to thepoint where a predetermined maximum pressure is reached in compartment8, say for instance, four to iive pounds per square'inch, more or less,the switch 20 functions to disconnect the motor 4 and deenergize valve24, thereby cutting ofi the generation of-gas, and Acompletelyseparating the two compartments, 8 and 9. In this manner gas generatedand connned in compartment 8 is unaffected by evaporation from the mainbulk supply of fluid 11.

Referring particularly to Ii'ig. 2, a schematic of the electricalcircuit and connections is shown; 32 indicates a source of electricalcur- `rent across which motor 4 is ccinected while 20 indicates anautomatic pressure-operated switch connected in series with the motor. Asolenoid 24'.may also be onnected acros the motor 4 being operated whenthe switch 20 is closed.. A plunger or core 24" is adapted to be raisedwhen solenoid 24' is energized, thereby opening the' valve 24j", when thswitch 2o is' opened, the Vniotor stops and solenoid 24' issimultaneously deenergized, permitting the core 24" to. fall by gravity,thereby closing the valve 24"'. It is to be understood of course,that-elements 24.', 24" and 24"' correspond to valve 24.

In one mode of carrying out my invention, a quantity ofcombustible'fluid may be introduced into .theV compartment 9 of tank 'I throughfillerpipe '12. The compartment 9 may be initially filled toapproximately the lower end of pipe 12,

' which'pipe is then closed by means of a conven- Vinto contact in thechamber 8. These factors may be varied at will by changing the relativesizes of the nozzles 17' and 22 of the air and fluid 35 streamsrespectively. In this manner, for the production of a combustible gas ofa desired 'caloric value, a suitable arrangement of nozzle sizes may beutilized which will insure the vaporization of al1 of the uid introducedinto the 9()l compartment 8. The rate of gas generation can -.be readilycontrolled by the capacity-of the blow- With the generation ofcombustible gas in the chamber 8, the pressure in said chamber will in95 crease, until a predetermined maximum pressure is reached, say forexample, four to five pounds 4per square inch, more or less. Uponreaching .this critical pressure, the pressure-actuated switch 20 willfunction to stop the motor 4 andl 100 simultaneously deenergize thesolenoid 24', perT mitting the plunger 24" to fall by gravity, closingthe valve '24"'. Hence, the generation of combustible gas is stopped andall means of communication between the compartments 8 and 9 105 is cutoff.

The withdrawal ,of combustible gas for consumption 'reduces the pressurein gas compartment 8. Whenl this pressure is reduced below'apredetermined minimum, say l to 1% pounds per Ano square inch, more orless, the pressure-actuated switch 20 is automatically functioned toagain start the motor 4 and simultaneously open valve 24. The motor 4being directly connected to the compressor 2 'will operate thecompressor to charge air under pressure through lines 16 and 17 untilthe pressure again reaches the predetermined maximum. By thisarrangement the entire operation is automatically controlled and isfunctioned solely bythe pressure within the two compartments. The checkvalves 18 and 19 prevent liquid `and gas, respectively, from flowingback to the air compressor in case of unforeseen accident. y

I have found it desirable to dispose the mouth of the gas withdrawalpipe 26 in the chamber 8 -remoteLv with respect to the point of gasgeneration inasmuch as the freshly generatedv gas is thus permtteditotravel through the entire compartment 8 before it is withdrawn. In thisman- 130' ner a homogeneous gas will always be withdrawn.

While I have illustrated the switch 20 as taking 'the form of a mercoidswitch, it is to be understood that any equivalent element which isautomaticallyfunctioned by the prsure within l the gas compartment tostart or stop the motor maybeutilize'd. Also,I donotwishtobe limited toa solenoid valve 24, since any type of valve which' will beautomatically functioned can be used. I illustrate the valve as beingofthe solenoid or magnetic type, sincesolenoid valves have been approvedby the Board of Under? writers. v

It may be found desirable under certain conditions to 'introduce aheating element (not 145 shown) such as a closed coil or the like. intothe chamber v8 to assist vaporlzation of the combustible fluid; Aheating medium, such as hot wa't'er,

`steamhot' oil or'the lke may be' passed through the' coiLOne Vconditionwhich may warrant 150 the use of the heating element in the gas chamber,may exist when a combustible fiuid of comparatively high boiling pointis used.

It is apparent that I have provided a method of producing a combustiblegas of substantially any desired caloriflc value and producingthroughout the continuance of the process a combustible gas of constantheat content; a method in which the heat content of the combustible gasmay be changed at will and maintained constant regardless of atmospherictemperature changes and humidity conditions met in practice.

By the expression combustible iiuid as used in the specication andclaims is meant a fluid other than a true gas which when suitably mixedwith air will produce a combustible gas. Such fluids as gasoline,pentane, hexane, benzol, alcohols and the like may be used, but it is tobe understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto except asspecified in the appended claims.

I have found it to be advantageous to so proportion the quantity ofcombustible liquid and air brought into intimate association in thecompartment 8, that the air admitted isnot saturated, for instance, theresultant gas when formed may be of a caloriflc value corresponding toapproximately 25% (more or less) saturation of the air.. In this manneratmospheric temperature changes and moisture conditions of the ar willhave little or no eil'ect upon the heat value of the gas.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process which comprises maintaining a bulk supply of low boilingliquid fuel not substantially heavier than gasoline in a closed zone,removing fuel from said zone, mixing the withdrawn fuel outside saidzone with air substantially free of combustibles to form a combustiblegas, said air being drawn from an air supply outside the closed zone andmixed directly with the fuel without prior passage through the closedzone, storing the combustible gas in a second closed zone maintainedsubstantially free of uncarbureted combustible liquid, preventing vaporcommunication between the first and second mentioned zones duringstorage therein of the liquid fuel and the combustible gas respectively,and passing combustible gas from said second zone to a point ofconsumption without appreciable dilution.

2. A process which comprises maintaining a bulk supply of low boilingfuel not substantially heavier than gasoline in a closed zone, removingfuel from said zone and introducing the same to a second closed zonemaintained substantially V,free of uncarbureted combustible liquid,passing air substantially free 'of combustibles directly from an airsupply outside said zones and without prior passage through thefirst-mentioned zone into said second zone and intimately mixing thesame therein with the fuel withdrawn from the first-mentioned zone toform a combustible gas, storing the combustible gas in said second zoneand preventing vapor communication between said zones during the storageof the combustible gas and liquid fuel therein, and passing combustiblegas from said second zone to a point of consumption Without appreciabledilution.

3. A process which comprises maintaining a body of low boilingcombustible liquid not substantially heavier than gasoline in a closedzone, introducing a stream of air under pressure into said zone andforcing liquid out of the zone by the pressure of the air into a secondclosed zone maintained substantially free of uncarbureted combustibleliquid, introducing directly to said second zone a second stream of air,substantially free of combustibles, from a source outside thefirst-'mentioned zone and without prior passage through therst-mentioned zone, intimately mixing the second stream of air with theliquid in said second zone to form a combustible gas, storing thecombustible gas in said second zone and preventing vapor communicationbetween said zones during the storage of the combustible gas and liquidfuel therein, and passing combustible gas from said second zone to apoint of consumption without appreciable dilution.

4. A process which comprises maintaining a body of low boilingcombustible liquid not substantially heavier than gasoline in a closedzone, compressing air in a zone of compression, removing a first streamof compressed air from the compression zone and introducing the same tosaid closed zone, forcing liquid out of said closed zone by the pressureof said air stream into a second closed zone maintained substantiallyfree of uncarbureted combustible liquid, removing a second stream ofcompressed air from the compression zone and introducing the samedirectly into said second closed zone without prior passage through themst-mentioned closed zone, intimately mixing the second stream of airwith the liquid in said second zone to form a combustible gas, storingthe combustible gas in said second zone and preventing vaporcommunication between said zones during the storage of the combustiblegas and liquid fuel therein, and passing combustible gas from saidsecond zone to a point of consumption without appreciable dilution.

5. The process as defined in claim 3 further characterized in that theintroduction of said second stream of air to said second zone iscontrolled in response to pressure variations in said second zone.

6. The process as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that thecombustible gas is withdrawn from said second zone at a point remotefrom the point of mixing the combustible uid and air.

CARL OTTO WANNACK.

